Glass Doors
by HungryDemon
Summary: Volume 8. "Grief in the Lord’s heart that should have remained forgotten unburied itself and rose to the surface. Unspoken doubts hidden in his latent thoughts were swept out of their dark corners where they had been placed so long ago."


A/N: This fic is inspired by SharkGirl and her story "He Regretted", sure to bring tears to the eyes of any Alfeegi fans.

"Shin" was the name of the Light Dragon in Japanese, and I just think it sounds cooler, so it's used interchangeably with Light Dragon.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Knights. In fact, I don't even own the short dialogue between Ruwalk and Lykouleon at the end. :p

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"…To dreams, mysteries and secrets; to the twisted internal landscape that makes us who we are."  
-INHABIT

If there was one thing that could always be counted on, it was the Dragon Lord's smile. It had a power to soothe restless souls, revealing the genuine and placid nature of Lord Lykouleon. It calmed others; put them at peace, even when it felt like the world was spiraling out of control. It was his way of saying that no matter how bad things were now, they would all work out.

The Dragon Lord wasn't smiling right now. He had wandered away from the palace, promising himself that he wouldn't be gone long enough for Alfeegi to worry. The castle grounds were extensive, gardens thick with flowers. He stepped off the pathways, knowing that every day nature changed itself. The land became untamed underneath his feet as he walked. He almost stopped completely and turned around. He knew that he shouldn't go much further; he was going to stumble upon something that he should not get close to.

He took one step more. He didn't sense any evil ahead of him, and the compulsion to go one was pulling him too strongly. A few more steps in, and the choice to return to the palace had disappeared altogether. Whatever was pulling him along had been waiting for him for too long.

Untended gardens gave way to woods. After pushing his way through bushes, the Dragon Lord stopped finally. A large white rock took up most of the space in the clearing, its surface smoothed. Moss stained the otherwise pure white a deep green as it crept over the structure. He could see words engraved in the rock face, but was hesitant to read them. This was what had been waiting for him. This is what he wasn't supposed to find.

His heart was pounding. He knew even before he approached what it was a marker of. The words cut into the stone had been done by hand, messy and uneven. Like child's writing.

'_I never thought...'_ Lykouleon stopped himself. He didn't want to think about this. Reading this would only bring about the pain he had hidden in his heart so long ago. Still, he had to know. He had to confirm the suspicions that had been growing in the back of his mind that wouldn't do to push away.

_The Shell of the Light Dragon_

_Illusor's Soul_

_and the many Humans, Faeries_

_and other Dragon Knights that have been killed_

'_Shin…'_ Lykouleon had never known what had happened to the Light Dragon. He always thought that it was best not to trouble Rath with it. For the Dragon Lord, it was just another thing that he couldn't allow himself to think about. The loss of the Light Dragon had affected him greatly. Dragons were more than tools for battle or some sort of powerful weapon. Dragons were guardians, protectors. They chose their knights. Lykouleon was honored to have Shin choose him, for whatever time they did have together. Staring at the tombstone, it felt much shorter than it actually had been.

Lykouleon's mind was like a series of glass doors. He could shut away memories and close them off from his thoughts, yet they never completely disappeared. He could see beyond the panes to everything he had tried to leave behind. Grief in the Lord's heart that should have remained forgotten unburied itself and rose to the surface. Unspoken doubts hidden in his latent thoughts were swept out of their dark corners where they had been placed so long ago.

'_What more do I need?_' He tried to remind himself. He had Raseleane, safe at his side once more. He had the Officers and their unquestionable loyalty to him. Scattered though they were at present, he had the Dragon Knights. Most importantly, he had faith in them.

Or was it faith at all? Was there part of him that felt obligated to put his trust in the Knights—especially Rath—to make sure his sacrifice had not been in vain? That his sorrow would not be wasted? A single tear ran down his cheek. He didn't bother trying to wipe it away. He knew that he was allowed to be sad. No man could bottle up everything forever.

He lightly touched the tombstone. The rock was cool beneath his fingers. Had he made the right choice? It was a question that he could no longer push away.

Lykouleon took a few steps back, trying to look at the stone from a distance. He was the Dragon Lord. Every decision he made could affect the future. He could not focus simply on himself. Not when he had everything else to consider.

'_Was it the right thing? Or...'_

"Lykouleon!" Ruwalk's voice startled the Dragon Lord out of his thoughts. "Where are you, Lykouleon?"

"Ruwalk?" He answered. His oldest and dearest friend, and for an instant Lykouleon wished that he had never found him. The moment vanished, however, and he was glad that the Yellow Dragon Officer was here. "Over here."

"What are you doing over here?" Ruwalk pushed his way through the undergrowth. "I've been combing this place the whole time. Alfeegi's about to send out a search party."

The Dragon Lord smiled. Of course Alfeegi would. Ruwalk stopped, alarmed at what he was seeing, what until just seconds ago the Lord had been focused on. "I found it by accident," he explained, the small smile still on his face. "Rath's precious grave." He read the inscription to his friend. "I always wondered…what he did with the Light Dragon's remains," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"He built a grave out here. For them," Ruwalk said as though he was having a hard time comprehending what he was seeing. "Tucked away, hidden from view. He probably didn't want us to know about it."

Tears brightened the Dragon Lord's green eyes, though this time, no water fell. "Light…so this is where you rest."

Ruwalk, who understood Lykouleon's emotions better than anyone, save the Dragon Queen, threw his arm over his friend's shoulders. "No regrets. Okay?"

"Regrets?" The Dragon Lord repeated. His tears were quickly snatched away. "Now, Ruwalk," he started again, "I never said I had any regrets."


End file.
